Tour de France 2009

[FireDancer]

I remember we had a thread last year and since no one started one yet I figured I would.

Just remember most people will be at work when the race is live and some will not want spoilers. I think the rule last year, since most people will be at work when the stages are live, is to wait until after the prime time re-airing to post any results or discuss the same day's stage.

I of course am hoping for #8 for Lance but the only way Astana will let that happen is if Alberto is way off his game. Lance on the podium would be good with me. I am just waiting for stage 20 and the climb up Ventoux. I know Lance wants that summit win there badly and I would love to see a repeat of the climb up Luz Ardidn in 2003. I think that is one of the best climbs (along with his 2001 climb up ALpe d'Huez) any professional cycler has ever made.

Hopefully I'm not the only one looking forward to a cycling-filled July.

 

[John VN]

I will miss the start of tomorrows coverage as I will be out on my bike.

It would be nice if Lance makes the podium and remarkable if he wins.

7 weeks ago yesterday I had a hard crash with my 1983 Paramount. The bike was fine and I was banged up but alive. Clipped rear wheel of rider in front of me and went down. Wound up in the middle of traffic on a 55mph road. The other riders behind me were pretty amazed at how fast, this soon to be 59yo guy, bounced up after coming to a stop. Luckily no vehicles at that time otherwise I would not be typing this. Road the same ride yesterday and while it was a bit weird feeling, I got past the crash site without a hitch.

I am looking forward to an interesting Tour Day France.

 

[ironz]

Can't wait!!!

I'm going to miss tomorrow's stage (well, the DVR is set), but hope to stay up with the action via tweets and my cell phone while traveling.
I am hoping to see Lance do well...it will be an interesting story to see what plays out with him and Contador.

Firedancer...is that pic in your signature from Siena? One of the best cycling trips of my life there. Will be cycling in Oregon mid July...the hotels I'm staying at BETTER have Versus!!
And...will be out of town on Mt. Ventoux day...that is going to make me crazy!

Vive Le Tour!!!

 

[dsnyfan21]

I'll be keeping an eye out for Lance. My boss is a BIG Lance fan. I hope he does well and makes the podium on a few occasions!!

Tracy

 

[windwalker]

Lance is a super dude and a great role model.

GO LANCE!!!!!!

Cheering Panda

 

[TEK224]

I can't wait either. I always add workouts on my spinner while watching the race. My 2009 "Tour de Living Room" begins tomorrow!

Terri

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I can't wait either. I always add workouts on my spinner while watching the race. My 2009 "Tour de Living Room" begins tomorrow!

Terri

Great idea! "Tour de Living Room!" I might join that one.

 

[John VN]

Good job Lance and Levi

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I enjoyed watching and actually used Terri's suggestion doing Tour de Living Room as I watched part of it. Great idea!

 

[TEK224]

Way to go Lily. I rode the time trial with Lance (although not as fast ). I ended up riding a total of 25 minutes today.

Terri

 

[FireDancer]

Firedancer...is that pic in your signature from Siena? One of the best cycling trips of my life there. Will be cycling in Oregon mid July...the hotels I'm staying at BETTER have Versus!!

That picture is indeed from Siena. I did a week of cycling in Tuscany last May. We went through a bunch of small towns but San San Gimignano, Siena, and Pienza were the 3 we stayed in (well, we were about 1km outside of the S.G. walls). I went with one of my friends from High School and we did 6 days touring Venice, Florence, and Rome along with the trip. It was awesome and I have some pictures on my facebook page here. I want to do more trips to Europe for this kind of thing but they aren't cheap. I really want to bike Provance and mountain bike and kayak the fjords in Norway.

As far as the tour, top 10 was about what I expected. Astana will be walking away with the TTT I believe and that should open the times up since I don't see any other team being close. Even then it will be whomever looks best in the Pyranese that gets the team support for the Alps I think. We'll see. An Astana podium is looking pretty doable, and 2 of the 3 may be Americans.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Frank, I'm liking your prediction.

 

[FireDancer]

Wow, what a stage. I think that today Lance threw down the gauntlet and made Alberto know that he has to earn his win if he wants it. I think that Astana will destroy the TTT tomorrow baring an accident. I think Lance will end up in Yellow tomorrow but I am hoping that they don't waste too much effort defending it on stage 5.

 

[MouseDogMom]

The DVR and I are going to have words. Got all set on the bike, rode for an hour, then sat down on the couch for the remainder of the recording. Then it cut off with 20K to go! I could have stayed up until 11pm to catch the nighttime, but that's past my bedtime. And yes, I did go in and edit the recording options to go an hour past the endtime for all the future morning tapings! Bottom line - I didn't get to see the end of Monday's stage. Totally not fair! But I did ride 16 miles on the bike, a la Terry's Tour de Living Room.

Jackie

 

[FireDancer]

Jackie, I learned the hard way back during the spring classics that Versus runs over with the biking. I had it set to record 30 minutes after and missed the last 2K...UGH! I also changed it to record an hour after but I stay up late so I got to watch the conclusion.

 

[geaux_half]

I had the same DVR issue Monday as you guys missing out on the finish. I'm sure today's pre race show will fill in what was missed. I need to go in and extend my recording time as well.

 

[Cindylou]

I 've only been able to watch the last 2 stages since I was without Versus over the weekend since we were away. I always enjoy watching Le Tour, but what a whole different show when Lance is riding. Terri, I love your idea of riding while watching. Much more productive than my couch-sitting. I'm going to miss the last week of the tour as well since I'll be without Versus and the internet while on vacation. I sure hope the local papers write something about the race.
Cindy

 

[TEK224]

I also think Lance is issuing a challenge. Watching some of the interviews, he's trying to say the right things as a team member, but I get the impression he's annoyed they named Contador as the team leader. Lance is gonna make him earn it!

I can't take credit for "The Tour de Living Room". I actually learned about it last year from someone here on the Dis.

Terri

 

[FireDancer]

Great TTT today, brings back memories of 2005's stage 4! I am glad Lance isn't in the yellow though, they won't be putting in all the work at the front of the peleton tomorrow tiring themselves out for the mountains.

I can understand why Alberto was named team leader. He is the most recent winner and I don't think Lance knew how well he would be riding until after the Giro. He never had to recover from a broken bone so close to the race and while it isn't as dramatic as a cancer recovery it had a much shorter time window.

The finish in Barcelona might just be hilly enough for Lance to get the time back since Fabian is not a good climber. At this point I think it comes down to Lance and Alberto (baring an accident or other incident) and whom ever wins it will earn it.

I think tomorrow will be a bunch sprint with Cav winning but then again I would have said that for stage 3 so who knows.

 

[Cindylou]

I love the TTT, but do feel badly for some of the quality riders on weaker teams. You couldn't have scripted the outcome any better. I agree with you Frank that Lance doesn't need the yellow jersey this early.

I have a question, why don't they have time bonuses for the finish any more? Do they just do it some years and not others or have they given it up for good?

Cindy